Loudspeakers at Football Camp for announcements only

At present the second annual Football Camp organised by the local club Zug 94 is taking place in the Herti district of the city with more than 100 youngsters between the ages of 5 and 16 taking part. However, this year there will be no warming-up and dancing sessions to music played through loudspeakers as it has been determined these are to be used for announcements only. Parents and participants were informed about this by the senior trainer as the sessions began on Monday.
 
Thomas Felber, who heads the sports section of the city authority dealing with such matters, said that complaints had been made about the music last year. "Local residents are very well aware of what the regulations are and if they are broken we soon hear about it. This is why this year we made it perfectly clear to the organisers of the Football Camp before it started that music played through loudspeakers was not allowed."
Felber went on to say that it could well be that, when the street-hockey championships were held next year, an exception may be made, though locals would be informed in advance.
 
"People who live near sports grounds know that there will be a certain amount of noise but there is no need to add to it with music played through loudspeakers," added Felbert. "Naturally, there are other exceptional circumstances, such as when the national anthem is played. Overall, we get very few objections about sports grounds; if we get five a year, that is a lot."
 
One of those helping to organise the event, Doris Keller, had hoped the city would have been able to offer more of a compromise, especially as the warming-up and dancing sessions to music were part of the programme. "It is important that Zug 94 enjoys good cooperation with the city," she said. "We are very grateful that we have been allowed to use these premises."
 
Christian Volkart, who is in charge of the Zug 94 junior teams, said that 105 children, some of whom were girls, were participating in the camp this year and that ten trainers had been engaged. "Almost all of them from the canton of Zug," he added.
 
"Of course football training is the main element of the course and the children still look forward to coming every day, even if there is no music," said Keller.